The real stories from inside the F1 paddock

Two sides to every story

The relationships between the members of the HRT team and the team owners has been going downhill rapidly in the last couple of weeks as members of the crew felt that the owners are trying to dodge their commitments when to redundancies. I was warned in Brazil that bad things were happening but with nothing more than that to back up the story it was difficult to write anything about what was going on.

What I do know is that there was a meeting on Thursday in Sao Paulo during which the team decided whether or not it should take part in the race, because there were fears that some of the parts on the cars, notably the rear brakes had gone beyond their lifing. The decision, I am told, was left up to the drivers and they felt that it was the right thing to race, even if there was no future for the team.

There are reports today that when the team members returned to Madrid after the race there was a confrontation with one of the management and that the police were called. No-one was arrested, but reports were published suggesting that the team members were drunk.

I am told that this was not the case at all and that the team members became irate when they were not allowed to leave the premises until they agreed to sign a contract termination document; and that personal effects, such as car keys, were withheld.

I guess you can believe whichever story you like but whatever the case, it is a sad end to a story that involved a lot of people doing a lot of work in an effort to keep the team alive.

That really is too bad. There was much noise about not letting Prodrive, Lola, Carlin or others in when Hispania and USGP were allowed. Under new rules it does allow for a new operation to get on closer to even footing than the current entry hill climb. Oh well, 11 teams competitive is better than 11 teams driving around two cars that are a lap off the pace.

No one was drunk, mechanics, engineers and other members of the race team were there, initially not allowed in, and when they were, they were not allowed to leave until forms had been signed. They were not even allowed to go to their cars or gather personal effects from the factory. The team knew they were being made redundant in Austin yet acted professionally at all times to get the cars out on every session both there and Brazil.

Thanks for all you guys for putting in an effort. Its sad that this team ends this way, but you guys really held on for 3 tough years and were a worthwhile part of a great sport, as in sports effort is really just as important as results.
So to all of you a big thank you, and I hope you get a chance elsewhere, maybe even in another F1 team, soon.

There’s nothing to sell, as Joe has pointed out. What are HRT’s assets?

F1 deserves 26 competitive cars. There just aren’t 13 entities in the world willing to get involved, which I think is a fairly damning indictment of the state of F1 frankly. There’s 3 or 4 pure racing teams and 3 manufacturers already on board, plus a drinks company running 2 teams: The world’s premier motorsport category can’t fill the empty slots? LeMans/the WEC benefits, I suppose.

At least we’re back in the US. Although ironically the next team will probably come from a BRIC country; I don’t see GM opening their wallets.

On the subject of Cosworth….. In Tooned Episode 12 Ron Dennis has a parrot called Cosworth. With Cosworth up for sale, could this be a hint for the future? McLaren buys Cosworth to produce it’s own road and racing engines??

Joe;
What´s your opinion on the original idea ,Adrian Campos had of having a second Dallara factory in Spain (to provide for all formula derived projects within Spain)?,He was to be a partner with Dallara in it´s second factory.Thus the Campos Meta idea all in one..
Adrian ,has had many ideas ,of which the Avdesa F3 was a reality manufactured by Selex,,the Barwa Addax Team (ex Campos.),Campos F3 etc..Helping drivers all the way up to F1…

Redundancies ought to be paid out of a lodged bond, in fact the one Bernie takes, at least enough for a year’s salary, so good people have a chance to get back into the sport, not disperse.

I cannot believe there are people not worthy of remaining in F1, given the utter farce of HRT’s management.

And this whole thing of not allowing a team to be rebuilt without a new entry is getting boring. So very much of good capitalism is created by buying in cheap, so you can afford to spent where it’s needed.

Is there no informal kind of union, or at least self help group? If anything HRT have been the most interesting story this year, if only it could be told by who were there. If only they had told their story earlier, in a engaging way.

There’s real value in good people who’ve been through the thick of it. Some of the best sales guys I met came through bankrupt publishers. That very early experience of mine changed my pattern of thinking for certain, taught me to develop a early warning RADAR, so I believe in learning by failure. (just not all the time)

It won’t be much consolation, but Steve Blank turned around his career, and contributed a lot, by understanding the failure modes of his startup:

So, if some guys broke out HuRT t-shirts and went on the lash, I say fair play. There’s no dignity in being pushed off the grid in the ways those guys have been mucked around. Having proper look at their story, if anyone will talk, would make for a great piece for the final GP+ in my view. The sickening thing of having so many sweat for their dreams whilst dangled by careless “paymasters” is both the spirit of F1, and the nightmare.

I think it bodes ill for the sport in general, because I fear for more exits soon.

“I am told that this was not the case at all and that the team members became irate when they were not allowed to leave the premises until they agreed to sign a contract termination document; and that personal effects, such as car keys, were withheld.”

That’s false imprisonment charges, followed quick by extortion with menaces, in my book. And any termination contracts were signed under duress, so invalid.

No, not at all. Constructive dismissal occurs when the employer makes it impossible for the employee to perform their job and then dismisses them for lack of productivity or incompetency. This was extortion, as JoJ says, and if true could land the HRT management in serious criminal hot water.

for the mechanics, we are with you! i´m spanish and I think is not good to be with a company when they don´t choose the right options or they compell you to many things, good luck, let´s hope someone rescue the team and invest money and you can come back to get better results! Cheer up your good job will be seen!